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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cell — in biology
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. drill — the tool
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cell — a phone
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. drill — army training
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. sharp — clever
  21. swing — to play on
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. swing — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com